Hi guys, so I finally saw my very first baby crookneck squash, and so I was able to compare the two. The plants have some very visible differences. Here's a picture that will explain the immediate differences better than I could. The main difference for me was the way the plants grew. The Crooknecks "crawl" a bit, shooting out leaves from the crawling central stem. The zukes sort of blossom out from the ground in one spot. Also, the leaves are a different shape and texture. There are a few ppl online in different forums who had this question for a variety of reasons, and yeah I guess I do think it's silly that so many people came across such a random question but anyways I hope the pic helps someone! Thanks everyone

I realize I am coming in to this discussion a little late in the game, but I wanted to comment of Jason's comment. I agree with most of what you said, except for the testing part. There has been some testing done, but the long term affects may not be known for decades. As far as human health concerns go, I don't know of any tests related to that have been done except one about Brazil nut allergens in soybeans and people with severe allergies to nuts may be affected. Most studies that have been done have been done in relation to how the plant grows or how much crop is harvested. One of the major concerns however, is what kind of impact this will have on the environment. Is this going to cause us to lose any beneficial insects? Will "superweeds" be created? Also, are we going to cause bacteria and viruses to become stronger and resistant to treatment? These are concerns that will take a very long time to find out if they are valid or not. I just wrote an essay on this topic for Biology, and what I found out, is that 1) there are no mandatory labeling requirements on these foods to allow us consumers to choose if we want to eat the GM food or not. 2)The way the system has been set up by the government to monitor these crops is not very well organized. Three groups have been combined to do this and they aren't doing a very good job at it. The EPA is set up to regulate pesticides and if they are safe to use, however, because they see the crops such as the Bt laced corn is not related to pesticide sprays, so they do not have any real regulations set up for this. The FDA puts these foods in the same category as whole foods and it is not subject to FDA regulations. The only real guideline set in place, is that a company wanting to manufacture GM crops should have a voluntary meeting with the FDA. The company does not have to follow the FDA's recommendations and the FDA does not have the authority to intervene. 4)The FDA has a lousy stance as far as health concerns go, their stance is "the agency currently does not have the time, money, or resources to carry out exhaustive health and safety studies of every proposed GM food product. Moreover, the FDA policy as it exists today does not allow for this type of intervention.(http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php)" I just wanted to put my two cents in.

That's what I was afraid of maybe if someone fails to show up at the garden meeting or doesn't get a plot i could combine the two. could try to grow one up a trillis. any ultra jumbo trilis for sale online links please?

Eating Well did an entire spread on squash this last issue, but these two caught my eye. I've had the cakes and like them, and a friend had the soup and said it was good. ________________________________________ Golden Summer Squash & Corn Soup 1 T extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium shallot, chopped 2 medium summer squash (about a pound) 3 t chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, etc.) 14 ounces low sodium chicken broth 1/4 t salt 1 c corn 1/2 c feta cheese 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, stirring, 1 minute. Add squash and 1 t herbs, stirring occasionally, until squash softens (about 3-5 minutes). 2. Add broth and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering until squash is mostly translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to blender, use stick blender, etc. blend until smooth. Return soup to pan and stir in corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until corn is tender, 3-5 more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Garnish with 2 teaspoons herbs and feta. ________________________________________ Parmesan-Squash Cakes 1 large egg 2/3 cup finely chopped **shallots 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 cups shredded seeded summer squash (2-3 medium, about 1 pound; see Tip) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in shallots, parsley, salt and pepper. Place shredded squash in the center of a clean kitchen towel; gather up the ends and twist to squeeze out any liquid. Add the squash and cheese to the bowl; stir to combine. 3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pack a 1/3-cup measuring cup with the squash mixture and unmold it into the pan; gently pat it down to form a 3-inch cake. Repeat, making 4 squash cakes. Cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently turn the cakes over and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 130 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 62 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 1 g fiber; 322 mg sodium; 406 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Calcium & Vitamin A (15% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat TIP: Tip: To remove the seeds from summer squash, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. To shred the squash, use the large-holed side of a **doesn't work with a stronger onion. Here is a link that might be useful: Eating Well squash recipe collection